dailyloe.com – The Tampa Bay Lightning are facing significant challenges in the Stanley Cup Playoffs without their captain, Victor Hedman. Hedman has been sidelined since March 19 due to an illness and is not expected to return in the Eastern Conference First Round against the Montreal Canadiens. The Lightning currently trail the series 2-1 after a 2-1 overtime loss on Friday.
Hedman participated in an optional practice at Bell Centre but will not play unless Tampa Bay advances past Montreal. He missed the final 15 games of the regular season after leaving a game against the Vancouver Canucks early. On March 25, the Lightning announced that Hedman was taking a leave of absence for personal reasons.
At 35 years old, Hedman recorded 17 points during the regular season, consisting of one goal and 16 assists in just 33 games. Coach Jon Cooper expressed the team’s respect for Hedman, stating, “‘Hedy’ is an extremely respected, likeable human being and guys like having him around more than they don’t.” He emphasized Hedman’s positive impact on the team and the hope for his return if they advance.
Hedman is a two-time Stanley Cup champion and won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2020 as the postseason’s most valuable player. He had notable playoff performances in previous years, contributing significantly to the Lightning’s success. Defenseman Erik Cernak acknowledged the difficulty of losing such a key player, stating, “It’s definitely not easy when you’re losing a player like that.”
Despite the challenges, players like Darren Raddysh are stepping up in Hedman’s absence. Raddysh scored in Game 1 and had an impressive 70 points in 73 regular-season games, setting a Tampa Bay single-season record for defensemen.
